title: Toxicity evaluation of standardized extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the safety of standardized extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The water extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum was prepared and standardized, the dry powder yielded 6% gypenosides. In the acute oral toxicity test, the single oral dose of 5000 mg/kg of Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract was given to female Sprague-Dawley rats. In subchronic toxicity test, the oral dose of 1000 mg/kg/day of the extract was given to rats in treatment and satellite groups for 90 days. Satellite groups of both sexes were kept for additional 28 days after 90-day treatment. Control rats received distilled water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standardized extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum did not cause death or any toxic signs in rats. The daily administration of the extract for 90 days did not produce lethal or harmful effects. Although certain hematological and blood chemistry values (i.e., neutrophil, monocyte, glucose, and serum alkaline phosphatase levels) were found to be statistically different from the control group, however; these values were within the ranges of normal rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standardized extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum did not produce mortality or any abnormality in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand. cnatthak@gmail.com
authors.forename: Natthakarn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chiranthanut
authors.forename: Supanimit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teekachunhatean
authors.forename: Ampai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panthong
authors.forename: Parirat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khonsung
authors.forename: Duangta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanjanapothi
authors.forename: Nirush
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lertprasertsuk
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D029774:Gynostemma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000592:standards / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013785:Thailand; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D059550:Toxicity Tests, Subchronic
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: ALP; ALT; AST; Acute; BUN; Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino; HPLC; LDL; Safety; Subchronic; Toxicity; WBC; alanine aminotransferase; alkaline phosphatase; aspartate aminotransferase; blood urea nitrogen; high performance liquid chromatography; low density lipoprotein; white blood cell